- Alexia Barrier’s “The Famous Project” initiative will bring together an all-female crew from around the world to break the previous all-male Jules Verne record.
- Wipro will equip the boat with digital twin technology, to track and improve their performance.
Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading technology services and consulting company, announced its partnership with The Famous Project, a sailing challenge bringing together the best female professional sailors from around the world to take on the Jules Verne Trophy; the prestigious prize for the fastest circumnavigation of the planet, considered one of the toughest ocean challenges in the world.
The Famous Project crew is led by celebrated offshore skipper, Alexia Barrier (FRA) who, in her 20-year career, has sailed the equivalent of 10 laps around the planet, completing the iconic solo, non-stop Vendée Globe in 2021 and racing across the Atlantic no less than 18 times.
Her co-skipper is Dee Caffari (GBR), a record-breaking round-the-world sailor with six circumnavigations under her belt and is the only woman to have sailed around the world solo, in both directions.
The current crew training and racing with Alexia and Dee are:
- Helena Darvelid (SWE), 12 world speed sailing records
- Sara Hastreiter (USA), round the world sailor and mountain adventurer
- Elodie Jane Mettraux (SUI), leading multihull specialist
- Joan Mulloy (IRL), offshore solo specialist
- Marie Riou (FRA), The Ocean Race winner
- Marie Tabarly (FRA), skipper of Pen Duick VI
Completing the challenge for the Jules Verne Trophy with an all-female crew will be a world-first.
No female team has made it around the world in challenge for the Trophy, nor has any woman so far been part of any crew to conquer the legendary Jules Verne Trophy.
Thierry Delaporte, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Wipro Limited, said, "The Famous Project is the first of its kind, and therefore unique. This all-women crew of expert sailors will create history and pave the way for many more. We are proud to support this extraordinary project that reflects Wipro’s spirit of bold ambition.”
In a race against the clock, where every second counts, Wipro's technology will provide data insights and live monitoring, bringing contextualized information to prompt the crew to make certain adjustments on the boat or to their routines to enhance their performance.
Passionate and fiercely competitive, Barrier’s mission has always been to challenge herself; inspire others, especially women, to follow their dreams and be heard; as well as raise awareness of environmental issues. This ethos is reflected in The Famous Project’s main objectives, which include:
- breaking the record for the fastest crewed circumnavigation of the planet; the current record, set in 2017 by French Skipper Francis Joyon and his all-male crew, stands at 40 days 23 hours 30 minutes and 30 seconds;
- setting a world-first record for an all-female crew;
- collecting data on ocean health for scientific research;
- building an educational program on environmental protection.
Alexia Barrier, Skipper of The Famous Project, said, “The Famous Project is more than just a sporting endeavor, it is an opportunity for us to take up global challenges and foster education around the importance of ocean health. Wipro, as a company and as a global community, shares the same values as us: taking on great challenges, performing at the highest level, while knowing how to take care of each other and respect our planet. Speaking on behalf of the whole team at The Famous Project, we are so proud to be part of this big family to take on this dream challenge together.”
In preparation for their attempt, the team will embark on a training program that will see them participate in several races and record attempts before their record-breaking attempt begins from October 2025. The crew will sail on the 100-foot Ultime trimaran IDEC Sport, the boat that currently holds the Jules Verne record.
Wipro joins CIC as founding partners of this project, along with IDEC as an official partner.
